[GRASS5] usability tweak on OSX

[Glynn Clements]

Hamish wrote:

> > > > > +    eval exec -- xterm -geometry -50-40 -e [...]
> ..
> > > > We definitely shouldn't be hardcoding xterm placement inside d.m.
> ..
> > Bad practice. Specifying -geometry will override most of the
> > mechanisms by which the user can configure the placement.
> ..
> > In general, per process settings (e.g. a -geometry switch) are
> > supposed to override any "global" settings (e.g. WM configuration
> > files).
> 
> Right. Command line params should always override defaults. Got it.
> 
> Is it possible for us to set xrdb/.Xresources settings on the fly?
> 
> e.g. we provide e.g. $GISBASE/etc/grass.Xresources and point xrdb to it
> in Init.sh. Then (re)run xrdb on ~/.Xresources if it exists to let 
> folks maintain their own preferences. (Hopefully that overrides previous
> settings of the same name?)

Running xrdb at all is usually a bad idea unless you are accessing
multiple hosts from a single X display and want the same resource
settings on all hosts. The reason is that Xt completely ignores
~/.Xdefaults if the RESOURCE_MANAGER property exists (i.e. if xrdb has
been run).

If "xrdb -query" generates any output, either you're making extensive
use of remote X clients, or your X startup was written by someone who
doesn't understand X. Unfortunately, the latter is quite common.

Window placement is meant to be a user choice. Just because some users
don't understand how to express that choice, it doesn't mean that we
should be deciding it.

-- 
Glynn Clements <glynn at gclements.plus.com>